President Obama Speeds Up Broadband Expansion For Rural Areas

The National Grange applauds President Obama’s executive order to expand rural broadband across America.

The National Grange | Jun 15, 2012

The National Grange lauded President Obama's decision to sign an executive order that will make broadband expansion up to 90% cheaper and faster for those along federal lands and roadways.

This plan will drastically expand and speed the deployment of broadband access for rural Americans.

"By connecting every corner of our country to the digital age, we can help our businesses become more competitive, our students become more informed, and our citizens become more engaged," says National Grange President Ed Luttrell. "Further, this Executive Order will strengthen our economy and put more Americans back to work, a priority for every American, not just those in rural areas."

The White House will also announce the formation of a new public/private partnership known as "U.S. Ignite." The new alliance will consist of nearly 100 partners, including major cities, corporations, and non-profit groups, joining forces with over 60 universities to develop new networks that run up to 100 times faster than modern Internet services.

Obama’s order will require the Department of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Interior, Transportation, Veterans Affairs, and the U.S. Postal Service to offer carriers, both large and small, an easier approach to leasing federal assets to expand their broadband infrastructure and services.

The U.S. Ignite partnership will create a nationwide network of communities and campuses with incredibly fast and programmable broadband services, with speeds of up to 1 gigabit/second. The networks created by this partnership will be used as tests for building the next generation of broadband networks.

"The National Grange believes, just like President Obama, that rural Americans cannot wait for broadband access, and is thrilled to hear this president has made such access a priority," says Luttrell. "America's farmers and ranchers need broadband services to stay connected and competitive in today's digital era. Having access to the same services and privileges as our urban counterparts will drastically change the way rural America does business."